Friday, December 19, 2008

Wanted: Christmas Spirit

I can't seem to find it this year and I wonder where it went. This is as much Christmas spirit that I could muster up this year. Our home should be filled with silly decorations and the lights should be adorning the exterior of our home but it's not. Our tree have the ornaments (many of them handed down from my grandparents) but there aren't any presents underneath it. We haven't really done any shopping this year. We've watched the Christmas movies (finally saw Elf, which was lame but A Christmas Story did help a little bit for me mainly because I heart that movie), I've done my Christmas cookies baking but still, the spirit is lacking. With just a few more days until the holidays, I'm really hoping to find it. I'm looking forward to heading home for a few days and seeing the family. That should jump start it. We're also taking the Coast Starlight train up to Portland, Oregon for the New Years and being with our friends will also bring in the spirit. Maybe my Christmas spirit will hit in January or something and I'll just be early for the next year, not late :)

• i'll wear my holiday socks until the spirit hits •

Saturday, December 13, 2008

One by one...

...the penguins steal my sanity.

It starts to feel that way with the limited amount of work that I am doing. For the past couple of months, my company has felt the downturn of the economy. We're an advertising agency, with only seven people and the company has been around for over twenty years. It's a great company to work for and I really enjoy it. However it's become a little strenuous as a majority of our clients cut back their budget or are folding and I have two choices: work part time or file unemployment!

If the timing was different, I could start job hunting to find another advertising/production job. The only drawback of that is the upcoming year. How does one go job hunting when they need to disclose that they need to take a lot of time off in February, May and September for their own weddings (planning two long distance weddings is a lot of work)? I think that most employers would cross me off the list. So instead, I'm determined to hang in with my current company, endure the worst of the economy and just hope that it turns around so I can work again at full capacity.

The idleness drives me a little crazy though. What does one do with all this newfound free time? Coincidentally, it does open doors for more possibilities. My personal trainer needs a producer to help put together their workout videos. Great, that helps keep me a little bit busier and I get be productive in my field of work. I've also become a mean racquetball player. I've never been a sports girl. I used to play baseball and love to go to a batting cages but besides that, I have always lacked competitiveness. Until I started racquetball. It has become a great way for me to release this pent up stress that I have from the lack of work. Although my body has taken a toll as I endure running into the walls only to hit that damn ball!

Also starting in January, I am going to flower school. Sure, poke fun here but the main reason for it is so I can do all the flowers for our wedding. With all the time off, taking the classes and having an outlet for my creativity also helps me break this idleness that I currently have. There is only so much grocery shopping, library hunting and cleaning house that I can do.

I think that this all fills us about 5-8 hours of the remaining 20 hours that I have free nowadays. Any other suggestions for me to venture on to ensure that I keep myself busy? I really don't want those penguins to steal my sanity!

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Unwind Time

The first phase of the holidays are over and it went over wonderfully! The Santa Clara invasion went over quite smoothly, everyone getting along and feeling much fuller after all the food, desserts, snacks and home-brewed beer that we offered. It was actually one of the best holidays that I've had in a long time spending so much time with my parents, grandparents and really getting to know my future in laws. Having a close knit family really reminded me of what giving thanks was all about.